A SURVEY has found that 87% of Malaysians are willing to undergo retraining to ensure their employability.

According to the 2020 Randstad Workmonitor first-quarter poll, the sentiment is most prevalent among Generation X workers, or 92% of respondents aged between 35 and 44.

The survey was conducted from March 13 to 30, with a minimum sample size of 400 per market.

Malaysia and Singapore managing director Jaya Dass, in a statement, said more companies are investing in technology to hasten their recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

This may risk widening the gap between what employers expect of their workforce and the skills that employees are equipped with, he said.

“To remain competitive, organisations must meet the heightened expectations of their workforce by equipping them with the necessary skills, and avoid unemployment.”

He said three out of four respondents believe younger employees are more in-demand as they are tech-savvy.

“Even though younger talent are seen as more desirable because of this, employers should not expect or rely on them to drive the organisation’s digital agenda.

“Instead, companies should create a collaborative environment where employees of different generations can experience growth together.” – Bernama, July 6, 2020.